Just the Facts, Ma’am: The Liberty were never really threatened in their 81-69 win over the San Antonio Stars. Tina Charles and Epiphanny Prince each had 16 points to pace New York, with Charles adding eight rebounds. Kelsey Plum had a game-high 18 points for the Stars, with Kayla Alexander adding 15 points and nine rebounds.
For frustration with Canadians, chastely holding hands, decent bench play, some tone-deafness, and the next great adventure, join your intrepid and emotionally drained blogger after the jump.
Hey, gang!
Not gonna lie, this week has been about a year long, but that’s for non-GNoD reasons, so won’t let you worry any more than you have to. It’s game day at the Garden, and that’s the only thing that matters right now. It’s Fan Appreciation Night as the Liberty play their final regular season home game, against the very same team they opened the home slate with, the San Antonio Stars.
Everyone got off the floor in a hurry; I got to my seat at 46 minutes before tip, and the only player on the floor was Tina Charles, doing extra drills with Herb Williams. (And for a brief moment, Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, but that’s because she forgot her pants.)
Kym Hampton and Sue Wicks were out on the concourse signing autographs before with John Starks and Larry Johnson. Kym was shooting baskets for a while after that, but is now coming off the floor and blowing kisses to the fans.
I’m kind of tired of Mike W. taking off big games. I don’t know if I like the Knicks’ guy.
The Liberty broke a long-standing tradition by not having Kym Hampton sing the anthem for Fan Appreciation Day/Night, but I don’t mind. Kym’s been losing her voice over the years.
Should San Antonio fans, players, and/or coaches be concerned that Ruth Riley is present for this game? She looks good. (I am less fond of Vickie Johnson’s Wonderful Ice Cream Suit; something about the soulders just isn’t working for me.)
I’m pretty sure this DJ is related to our team president. I’m less than impressed with his skills. He comes off as more of a radio DJ than a mixing DJ- a good song chooser, but not one who’s going to shake them up a lot.
Oh, yeah, it’s 38-36 at halftime, with two teams who seem to mostly have run out of give-a-damn. The Liberty played all 11 players in the first half; Amanda Zahui B was the first sub. Lots of physical contact, lots of curious calls.
I’m not going to say that wasn’t fun, but I’m also not going to say it was a prime example of how basketball should be played. It seemed pretty clear that the Liberty were playing back to protect their players, and the Stars had parts but no real clear sense of what they were doing with those parts, or how to use them to complement each other.
Shay Murphy played briefly in both halves, but did nothing worth noting. Sequoia Holmes has good length, but one play stands out for all the wrong reasons: she deked, got Rebecca Allen up in the air with nowhere to go, and then threw up a shot so bad you could use it to build a house down in Comet land.
I don’t think the new haircut is working for Cierra Burdick, but she showed the hustle that made Liberty fans want to keep her, going after loose balls and getting physical on defense. She and Shavonte Zellous had some words, but they seemed to be the friendly kind, even after hard contact. Dearica Hamby needs to work on her screens- there was at least one where her hip went out very sharply, and it probably should have been a foul. I’m not sure she’s sure wha ther role is with this team. I’m actually not sure how many people on this team know what their role needs to be, but that’s a systemic problem, I think. Sydney Colson has good speed, and used it to take advantage of Lindsay Allen. I keep saying she’s a good understudy for Moriah Jefferson, and that might be part of why the Stars are so determined to keep her- while it’s nice to have a change-of-pace player, it’s also nice to have someone who can get you used to working with your starter.
We got a good look at how Kelsey Plum can play when she has confidence and she gets space- she can shoot, and she can score at the basket (though perhaps not as much as she thinks; that last sweeping shot at the rim was sort of pathetic). I don’t know if San Antonio knows how they want to use her yet. I feel like she might be best used as a microwave off the bench, but I don’t know if San Antonio has that luxury. Kayla McBride was able to hit consistently when she was given space, but had trouble creating that space, and obviously the Liberty defense wasn’t inclined to give her space. She was both the recipient and the thrower of ridiculously high passes. Alex Montgomery brought physical defense and the utter assurance that she could hit corner threes. She hit a couple of them, but not nearly as many as she was taking. She did a good job of clearing the glass around bigger players.
Kayla Alexander has a funky looking jump shot, but it seems to work for her. She did a lot of good work close to the basket as well. I’m not sure if the defensive game plan was to leave her open and cover the shooters or not, but that’s how it worked out. She’s got great hustle- she’s going to be a solid center in this league for years to come. She might have an All-Star year or two, but I think what will be more important will be her longevity. Isabelle Harrison complements her well, active boxing out on the boards. Someone’s got to work with her on that high, hard free throw, though- she seems to rely too heavily on getting the right bounce off the back of the rim, and that’s not a viable plan. (I mean, as a Liberty fan, I’m cool with her leaving four points on the board, but as a basketball fan it just slightly hurts my soul.) We were able to recognize her from when she tore us up last game, and forced her into shots she didn’t necessarily want to take.
I just don’t know if San Antonio knows what hey’re doing, either collectively or individually, and I think that’s where their leadership has failed them. They don’t really have a long-term veteran to hold them together (no, I don’t think Holmes is that player). Most of the team is still young. They’re finding their way, and maybe pairing such a young team with a rookie head coach and a rookie GM was a bad idea.
Amanda Zahui B was first off the bench in the first half for the Liberty, and last in the second half, and somehow neither of those things really should surprise me, especially regarding this game. She started off well, with a beautiful find of Kiah Stokes in the lane, but she was otherwise tentative at the wrong times, overconfident at the wrong times, and really needs to stop fouling people on defense. Some surprisingly good offensive play at the rim from Rebecca Allen- she was driving hard and not settling for jumpers. Extended playing time seems to have given her confidence. Or maybe it’s just San Antonio.
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe needs to work on her free throws- 3-6 is not acceptable. But her motor never stopped- she was going for rebounds and loose balls like there was no tomorrow, and she had a gorgeous finish in the second half that was all grace and athleticism. Kiah Stokes was inviting everyone to the 7th Avenue Block Party down low, and she finished well near the basket (always a good sign, since she can be so inconsistent in that regard). Lindsay Allen got a very long look in both halves, running the offense, and I like her passing vision, but at the same time I’d like to see her be more confident in her own shot- she had turnovers that were unnecessary because she was trying to force the ball to other players inside instead of taking the shot herself. Her defensive positioning also needs some work, but I think that’ll come faster than the offensive confidence. (It seems counter-intuitive, but there you go.) Sugar Rodgers took some dumb shots at the basket, but was also hitting her jumpers, and was pesky on defense. Maybe she’s starting to find her groove again.
Tina Charles brings such finesse and power that you run out of words to describe it sometimes. She spins towards the basket, and you feel like she can do anything she wants, even things that might be physically impossible. She played minimal minutes and still stole the show. You can see how hard she works, with two or three defenders on her and around her, and she still makes it look easy because all the parts just flow together. Kia Vaughn did a nice job on the offensive glass, and cleaned up a few messes. Sometimes that’s all we need out of her- a little bit of offense, a good amount of defense, and the certainty for the other team that if they go too hard at Tina, there will be pain to pay.
Shavonte Zellous was quiet (or as quiet as Z gets- there was a sequence in the first half where she objected so much to a foul called against her that Kia had to calm her down, and Kia Vaughn being the calming influence in a situation is never the expected or desired result) in the first half. In the third quarter, she got aggressive and started driving to the basket, drawing and hitting free throws. She was the spark we needed to keep the game out of San Antonio’s reach. Epiphanny Prince seemed to take Kelsey Plum scoring baskets on her court kind of personal for some reason; it seemed like every time Plum scored, Piph would be the one to respond. Maybe it’s some sort of numerological convergeance, maybe they had a side bet based on the football game, maybe it’s coincidence. I don’t know, but it was funny, and useful. Bria Hartley didn’t have a good game, but it was a well-balanced game, which is also helpful. Her defense is improving, which I also appreciate.
It was clear that the Liberty weren’t going full throttle in this one. There was no need to. Just play well enough to win, keep a firm grasp on the fundamentals, and try not to get hurt. When you’re playing an out-of-contention team, that’s all you need. I’m not even sure how much the team actually cares about getting #3 as opposed to #4. There are too many variables to be sure one is better than the other, other than the satisfaction of being better than Connecticut and Washington.
I’m not sure how a shot that’s still in the player’s hand when the shot clock expires can be clearly said to have come before the end of the shot cluck, but you do you, Roy Gulbeyan; you always have. Officiating could have been worse; it can always be worse, I suppose. At least no one got too badly hurt and the outcome of the game wasn’t in question. At this point, that’s about all I can expect out of W officials.
There was a feature on Hopey’s Heart and the life that was saved by one of the foundation’s AEDs, and I’m pretty sure Piph and Amanda were wondering how it got so dusty in MSG all of a sudden. They both looked like they were sniffling a little. It’s okay. It’s an amazing story of how much trying to make a difference in the world matters.
Sitting behind the bench (not directly behind, that takes more money than I make, but close enough) gives a really good perspective on Shavonte Zellous as an off-the-court leader- she always seems to be talking to her teammates, whether she’s trying to encourage them or teach them.
For Fan Appreciation Night, there seemed to be a minimum of fan appreciation going on. Usually there are extra giveaways- there weren’t. There was one video near the end of the game showing the team interacting with fans, with no words from the players. The traditional fan appreciation gift is a t-shirt; this year we got a lapel pin and I’m pretty sure mine is broken. It felt like any other game. Honestly, between early access to the arena, early access to the autograph session, and the discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages, it felt more like a Chase Cardholder Appreciation Night. Which, I would have no problem with if it were labeled that way. But it wasn’t, and I don’t bank at Chase, so. This has consistently been the one thing the Liberty have done better since the end of the Blaze era, and seeing a backslide of this nature and magnitude makes me sad.
By the way, have I mentioned lately that I loathe the new playoff system? Because I loathe the playoff system. A 20-win season should not come down to one game. But at least we have that one game, and your intrepid blogger will be there come hell or high water on the 10th. This is the right time of year to be hot, and this is the right time of year to put all the pieces together. Let’s surprise the big guns, shall we?
Saturday, September 2, 2017
September 1st, 2017: San Antonio at New York
Saturday, May 13, 2017
May 13th, 2017: San Antonio at New York
Just the Facts, Ma’am: Balance carried the day for the New York Liberty in their opening day win over San Antonio. Tina Charles led six Liberty players in double figures with 12, adding seven rebounds. Monique Currie had 23 points off the bench to power the Stars. Isabelle Harrison added 15 points, while Alex Montgomery led all rebounders with 11.
For spinning, rally rags, shirts, new neighbors, a familiar lie, proper technique in the wrong sport, dubious life choices, and confrontational players, join your intrepid and culinary blogger for chocolate chip cookies and lemon delights after the jump.
Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen, and nobly mannered non-binary folk! We’re coming to you on tape delay from the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, for the New York Liberty’s home opener against a sad excuse for the San Antonio Stars.
It’s raining something fierce out there, gray and dull and unrelenting. It’s a good day to be indoors with a few thousand of our closest friends and the team that has shaped who I am.
The unpleasant gentleman and his daughter who plagued us for a couple of games last season appear to have moved their seats; the two seats were being marketed as vacant when we passed them. We moved as well, but two rows straight down isn’t much of a move. (Amusingly, the couple who took our seats moved up from the row we’re now in.) I’m annoyed that they haven’t fixed the seat from when we told Morgan about it during the college season (you may recall that your intrepid blogger did the St. John’s double-header at the Garden this past season).
Sweet summer children. Players who promise to come back never come back. Kelsey Plum did that. She says the ankle’s fine, even as she’s tromping around in a walking boot. Okay, I get it, don’t ask obvious questions.
Long reunion between Spoon and VJ. There was hugging. We miss you, VJ. F--- Blaze.
The kids’ dance troupe wasn’t bad, but I feel wrong for scouting pre-teens for the St. John’s dance team.
Both of the injured Stars looked very nice. (Look, if you have to be in street clothes, be in nice street clothes.)
Very long anthem. Beautiful voice, but she tried to do too much with it.
At halftime, the Liberty are up 37-28, in a half that ended with a couple of long reviews. I don’t think Coach Johnson is happy with the results.
We’re currently enjoying Rob Base sort of singing “It Takes Two”. I can’t tell if it’s live or lip-synced. Finished with a Steam sample… that the organist picked up on and finished.
Very physical game. VJ appears to be coaching turn of the millennium Liberty defense, with mixed results. Isabelle Harrison has been a very bright spot.
Worried about Rebecca Allen for the Liberty- so far DNP and stayed out of warmups. Everyone else has played. Shooting needs work, but defense is on point. I mean, okay, we’re playing a very short-handed team, but I love the hustle.
Play of the day: that Cierra Burdick spinning lay-up doe.
There’s something about the cut of VJ’s suit that isn’t working for me. I don’t know if it’s the flare of the jacket, or the way it falls across her shoulders, or something, but it could look better.
The wi-fi at MSG seems to share an address of some kind with a museum in Puerto Rico. My Pokemon Go avatar keeps jumping back and forth between San Juan and New York.
That was closer than I would have liked it to be, but a win is a win, and I love what our defense is doing. San Antonio had very little to lose for this game- after all, everyone knows that their starting backcourt is not going to be Sydney Colson and Sequoia Holmes.
Kayla Alexander was inserted in the second quarter, primed to slide into position for rebounds- and then she got two quick fouls, which put her right back on the bench and made sure she didn’t have a groove to get into. She added one more in the second half for good measure. I kept overlooking Nia Coffey, and apparently I wasn’t the only one; I don’t know how she got those rebound numbers. I don’t know if the long-range shot is going to work for her, but can’t judge on one day, right? Isabelle Harrison stole the show inside. She’s going to be brilliant, if she isn’t already. She’s physical and tough, not afraid to get down low. I like the arc on her jumper; I don’t usually see post players arc it so high. (I wonder if practicing against Griner has that effect on players. If you’re going against 6’9” on defense regularly... I’ll need a larger sample size.) She boxed out well and got good position inside. Really great work.
I like Monique Currie as a person off the court. I do not like Monique Currie as a player on the court. I do not like Monique Currie as a person on the court. I do not like Monique Currie with a midrange jumper. I do not like Monique Currie running her mouth. I don’t know how this turned into a Green Eggs and Ham parody. She was the offense for San Antonio, drawing contact early and going to her jumper late when the defense shied away. And then there was the mouth. She and Shavonte Zellous were jawing for much of the game, and eventually it exploded, but we’ll get to that later. Haley Peters is tall, and I get the feeling Coach Johnson wanted to use her as an outside threat, but she wasn’t getting into position.
Has Sequoia Holmes always been this jittery? That’s the only word that comes to mind when I look at her. Her movements are short, sharp, and jerky, whether she’s backpedaling on defense or smacking away a pass. I wasn’t expecting her to have this good of a shooting day, and I get the feeling her jumper is heavily based on luck. Sydney Colson brought speed, and she and Alex Montgomery were a really good double-team on defense, trapping along the sideline. Montgomery brought the defense, and rebounded well underneath. She seemed to be one of the few players willing to shoot when the clock was running down, which is a bit of a surprise.
Dearica Hamby has yet to learn that the pell-mell drive to the lane that ends in a low scoop shot is not going to work in the WNBA the same way it worked at Wake Forest. Either she’s got to get up more, she’s got to get the shot up more, or she’s got to do a better job of drawing contact when she does it. Defenders in the WNBA are bigger, stronger, and faster, and they’re going to disrupt that shot, or at least ensure that you don’t have the angle that you want when you take it. She’s still a work in progress, to put it politely. Érika de Souza is not terribly mobile, and when officials catch it, it leads to 3-second calls. When officials don’t catch it, it can lead to points. She’s still a whole lot of woman down low, even after all these years. (After remembering how young she was when she started, it’s sort of jarring to realize she’s one of the oldest players in the league.)
San Antonio, once they have all their parts in place, seems like the kind of team that can sneak up on a more talented team and ambush them for a bad loss. The kids are going to be all right, Isabelle Harrison can ball, and when all else fails, they have the crafty veteran to come up with baskets (or tackles).
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe was last off the bench, and she still needs some work to be fully on the W level. But I like her smarts and I like her hustle. She does, however, need to realize that the Canadian step is on par with the American step; it’s a travel any way you slice it. I’d like to see Amanda Zahui B be more offensive-minded- there were a couple of plays where she had position on the low block and passed out of it. She’s got to realize that we need her to be a low-post player, especially if Tina Charles isn’t in the game. Kia Vaughn is still entirely too hesitant for my liking, but she’s been in this league since 2009, so I don’t think she’s going to speed up any time soon. I like her physicality, and her strength down low on defense.
I need Epiphanny Prince to remember that she is no longer at Rutgers; this means that a) she only has 24 seconds to get into the offense, 14 off an offensive rebound, and b) if she keeps running the shot clock down to three seconds, someone’s going to strangle her and it might not even be me. Her work in the passing lanes was beautiful; she had some great steals that got the fast break offense working. She drew contact well, too. Clock awareness is key. I like what Cierra Burdick brings to the floor; she’s heady and she’s aware of the game, not just what’s in her immediate vicinity. Her jumper was working today, but the play of the game was this beauty. Her defense needs a little work, but on the other hand, getting caught in a double-team of Currie and de Souza is not something I’d wish on a player with limited experience.
Tina Charles was strong in the first half; for a rather large chunk of it, she was our only consistent offense. She took an awful lot of off balance shots and contested shots, and I wasn’t sure she needed to take them. She’s a little slow on the boards, but it’s early and she’s still awesome. Kiah Stokes was a disappointment on the offensive end- she had easy shots in the lane and blew them. Her defense was solid- she had a nice block on Sydney Colson. But if she’s going to start, she needs to be a target on the inside. If she doesn’t score, she shouldn’t play. Shavonte Zellous kept busy on defense, and I’d love to have heard the jawjacking between her and Currie. It looked intense.
Sugar Rodgers continues to display the shot selection she showed in her early years with the Lynx. I know she has to step up, but part of stepping up means not putting the team in a bad situation with a bad shot. Her defense is improving, but I don’t know if that’s a tradeoff I want to make. Someone on this damn team needs to be a long range threat. Brittany Boyd made good passes, though perhaps a little too hard much of the time. She had a strong stretch in the fourth quarter where her speed, ability to draw contact, and defensive intensity all came together in a hurry. And then she lost her temper juuuuuuust a little bit.
So late in the game, that happened. As mentioned above, Currie and Z had been doing a bit of talking. I suspect there was some chatter between Currie and Boyd too. So Currie and Boyd went for a tie-up on a loose ball, and after the whistle blew the play dead, Boyd snatched the ball out of Currie’s hands. Currie took exception to this. Words were exchanged, with some heat. It took a couple of Libs to persuade Boyd, with a bit of force, to exit the confrontation. What made me think there was more to it than Boyd completely losing her head was the fact that her teammates gave her low fives afterward. (On the other hand, this was followed by Spoon grabbing her and having a head-to-head talk right in her face. So I’m thinking Spoon thought this was a terrible idea, though given that it is Spoon, there is a non-zero possibility that Spoon was giving her tips on technique.)
The intro video this year, to Beyoncé’s “Freedom”, is amazing, and is a fantastic choice of music on multiple levels.
Monique Currie tackles better than half the Giants defense and three-quarters of the Jets defense. Great follow-through, full wrap-up, she finishes the job all the way through to the ground. I mean, you’re not supposed to do that in basketball, and they did eventually call the foul (but not until she had Nayo all the way to the ground- I guess process of the catch applies to opponents too?).
Officiating was inconsistent, wavering between complete anarchy and calling touch fouls. And then there were three reviews. It took a while to get through everything.
Cierra Burdick has no fear. She stood next to the big torch during intros and didn’t even flinch when the flames roared up.
This should have been a bigger win than it was. But a win is a win. We’ll need to be better against Minnesota.
Monday, July 11, 2016
July 10th, 2016: San Antonio at New York
Just the Facts, Ma'am: It wasn't pretty, but the Liberty turned on the afterburners to knock off the San Antonio Stars, 75-65. Amanda Zahui B. had 14 points off the bench to lead a balanced New York offense. Monique Currie had 17 in the loss for San Antonio.
For touching on intersectionality, missed chippies, that guy with the Sugar thing, a lack of ball security, activism, and holding on tight, join your intrepid and proud blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon! Your intrepid blogger continues her drawl-tinged adventures this week as the Liberty host the San Antonio Stars.
Just as a warning: these notes may appear to be written by a drunk. I'm not drunk, I'm sleep-deprived; it's like being drunk, but you can do it for free. Went to the Garth Brooks concert last night, which got delayed three hours and didn't start 'til quarter to twelve. I got home at 4:30 in the morning. I'm not used to that. So I'm still exhausted but exhilarated and my filters haven't properly reset.
Monique Currie seems to have picked up DeLisha Milton-Jones's mantle as "superbly hateable on the court, superbly cool off it". She was really friendly with fans today. (And, uh, sorry for accidentally throwing my Sharpie at you, Dearica Hamby. Seriously. I am not coordinated today, but you are- that was a nice catch.)
I wasn't paying attention to the dance troupe before the game. Sorry.
Liberty have black t-shirts for this one, hashtagged both #BlackLivesMatter and #Dallas5. Can't see what the line on the back says. (Oh. Oh, my heart. It's a blank hashtag. Like they're waiting for the next one. Because we know there will be a next one. Or they're waiting to tell their own stories.)
(And I wonder: how do the Australian, the Canadian, and the Swede look at this country? How did the discussion go down? Did the poster girl for Native success speak up for Native American lives? Did anyone utter the fateful words "All Lives Matter"? Is it different if you're white, biracial, black? If you're from the North or the South? If you're a city girl or a small-town kid? Who spoke first? Who spoke last?)
At halftime, it's only 33-31 Liberty, but the reserves got a long stretch of time in the second quarter. I'm not too worried yet. San Antonio can't hit the broad side of a barn from inside the barn, and Tina can't be this bad forever, right? On the other hand, we have no ball security. It's terrifying.
On one hand, that game was closer than I felt like it needed to be, at least until the final couple of minutes. On the other hand, we won by ten with the role of Tina Charles being filled by Amanda Zahui B. and all the reserves played at least a quarter's worth of minutes. On the other hand, I'm worried about Shavonte after that dirty play by Jefferson. On the other hand, where are all these extra hands coming from?
You knew it was "throw it at the wall and see what sticks" time when Jazmon Gwathmey was set to check in at the end of the first quarter. I've been hoping to see her get work done, but she looked very tentative out there (which isn't a surprise if you're talking about a rookie who's barely playing). There was a possession where she had a shot I've seen her take at James Madison that she passed up for a play to the inside (I think that was one where the Stars blew the initial shot but picked up the offensive rebound and scored). Astou Ndour is almost ridiculously tall and skinny; if she played for one of my teams, I'd be able to bring back the old jokes I used to make about Shenneika Smith, about go-go-Gadget arms and the viability of folding her for convenience. She didn't play a lot, which was a surprise, since she kind of did a number on us last game out. Kayla Alexander travels a lot. Maybe Canadian steps aren't worth as much as American steps, so she can take more of them? (That's an exchange rate joke, son.) I like her hustle on the boards, but she's got to learn to play more with her feet than her arms. But one of the silver linings to this season for the Stars is that players like Alexander are able to develop- I wonder if that's one of the reasons they felt they could let Adams go.
Sydney Colson played the part of Danielle Robinson pretty well today, except that she's actually got a jump shot. She was throwing up some ridiculous shots that somehow went down, and could even have gotten a little more help from the rim. She brings good speed for them- she's a real firestarter. Haley Peters used her height to get looks, but she couldn't get them down. She was mixing it up a little bit on the glass, too.
Dearica Hamby crashed the boards like her life depended on it. By the end of the game, you could see how thoroughly her jersey had absorbed sweat- she was soaked with it, and there was a line on her shorts where her jersey was tucked in. Her rebounding was the best part of her game- she had a lot of trouble hanging on to the ball and hitting shots right at the rim (she had some really good looks). Jayne Appel-Marinelli does a nice job facilitating for her teammates as a screener and a passer, but she doesn't bring enough to the table offensively (her one basket was on a play near the end of the game where the defense bailed) or defensively. Monique Currie decided pretty early on that she was the option of first and last resort for her team, and she did well with the mid-range jumper. She used to get a lot of her stuff off penetration, so she adjusted well to our defense. (Saying first and last resort is not to say she was ballhogging, either. First resort- she was making herself an option. Last resort- when the Stars needed someone to score in the fourth, it was her.)
Moriah Jefferson has to have rockets hidden in the heels of her ruby slippers. That's the only thing I can think of to explain how high she goes up and how fast she goes. With the ball, she's faster than a lot of players without it. She has both inside and outside game. She's got such vertical lift that she's able to counteract her lack of height- she was killing us on the glass, and not just the usual way guards get rebounds (either long ones outside or going low to steal them from post players who persist in bringing the ball down). I would like her a lot better if she didn't leg whip Shavonte right at the end of the game. Alex Montgomery got most of her run in the first half, and seemed to be focused on shooting from the perimeter, which is amusing given how we pigeon-holed her as a defensive specialist in New York. She doesn't seem to fit into that lineup.
San Antonio is... not a good basketball team. They need a coach who can work with fundamentals, who can design an offense that plays to that team's strengths, and who can help get them a front line in order.
Amanda Zahui B. put in work today off the bench down in the paint. She got a little foul-happy in the fourth quarter- I don't think she was prepared for that many minutes in a row. But it was nice to see the variation in her game, and to not see her taking threes (and to see her defending them). Someone still needs to work on Kiah Stokes and her finishing at the rim, but I love her defense and her rebounding. Rebecca Allen brought hustle off the bench, even if she couldn't hit a shot. Someone's got to get some of that weird spin out of her shot somehow. It affects her consistency.
There are going to be more nights when Shavonte Zellous doesn't get the calls. She has a persistent habit of going for the contact instead of the shot, of jacking up things that aren't really shots as soon as she sees the potential of contact. She got the benefit of the doubt today, for the most part. I like her work on defense, too. I hope she's okay- she was limping after taking a leg whip/kick to the ankle from Jefferson. We really needed what she brought today, because we were getting nothing out of Swin, but more on that later. Brittany Boyd was the Energizer Bunny that the crowd has come to love- she finished with panache on her first two makes, then brought it home with the jumper. She and Jefferson were going at it hammer and tongs- I can't remember if they played each other, but I thought someone might have said something about someone's mother at some point. It's good to see her bringing that energy again.
I've seen Swin Cash play some pretty bad games in a Liberty uniform, but this one was right up there. Down there. Whatever the applicable turn of phrase would be. She was out of position for her passes, careless with the ball, and just generally off her game. Maybe she was distracted. I don't know. But Shavonte took a big chunk of her minutes, and for good reason. Tina Charles's shot was way off. She was taking a lot of jumpers and not getting in position to rebound them. It's a good thing we didn't need her to be MVP Tina in this one. She had flashes of her MVP glory, but they were mostly in the paint, and she was mostly not in the paint. Carolyn Swords had the big right-handed hook working today, and she was a beast on the glass. I think the competition behind her has lit a fire under her- Amanda's ready to take more minutes, and Kiah's always been an option at center. She has her good days and her bad days, but I'm hoping we see more of the good than the bad.
Sugar Rodgers got off to a slow start, but picked up a little bit in the third quarter. She was fantastic for her size on the boards- there was one play where I swore she levitated across before she landed. Her development this season has been fascinating, and I look forward to seeing more of it. Tanisha Wright still needs to do something about her ballhandling. She's way too careless with the ball, especially when someone's starting to guard her. And opposing guards are sensing weakness and going at her. We really need someone with a solid handle to give her a break- Boyd's not as consistent yet as we need her to be for that.
We didn't play well, except maybe for Amanda and Carolyn, and they even had their issues. But we answered every time it looked like San Antonio might have rallied behind Currie or Jefferson. We shut the door on them each time. Sometimes, all you need to do is do enough to win.
Officials mostly let 'em play all night (we thought it was funny that Shavonte was arguing calls when she had committed a couple of blatant reach-ins with no whistle). We got more of the benefit from that than the Stars did, so I can't complain too much as a Liberty fan (just as a fan of reasonable officiating).
Kind of a quiet crowd, no matter how much we did. Sometimes that's the problem with packing the house (today was "Show Up for Daughters", MSG Family Day, and there was an autism awareness event as well). People who are only there because free tickets were tossed at them don't get as loud as quickly, and for the most part this wasn't the kind of game that would coax cheers out of newcomers.
Any moms out there want a picture frame?
We got the win, and that's good, but honestly, I think the best takeaway from this game was proof that this is a team willing to hold up Liberty's torch, to speak out and say, our lives matter.
Monday, June 20, 2016
June 19th, 2016: San Antonio at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am: In a game where both teams gave up double-digit leads, the Connecticut Sun outlasted the San Antonio Stars 93-90. Alex Bentley led all scorers with 29 points. Jasmine Thomas flirted with a triple-double, with 11 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds. Kayla McBride led the Stars with 25 points.
For roller coasters, disturbing collegiate loyalties, shutting up the verbose blogger, exhaustion, traffic, and getting the job done, join your intrepid and hungry blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. We're coming to you on the usual tape delay from Sunrise Square at Mohegan Sun, where the San Antonio no-longer-Silver Stars take on the hometown Connecticut Sun.
Shoutout to our entrance's sweetheart of an usher, Darlene. Super friendly, really helpful to people who needed help, and helped carry someone's walker. You go, girl!
I'm not sure if Jayne Appel-Marinelli signing my match play voucher would have made it invalid or not, so I didn't risk it. (Also: so excite that VJ will be at the Liberty 20th anniversary celebration this time next week! SUCH EXCITE VERY HISTORY)
Anthem singer was trying way, way too hard. It turned into more of a cross between a hymn and a dirge. Not exactly hugely inspiring.
Well, that game turned out to be pretty good, for featuring the two worst teams in the league. It was a real roller coaster ride, with both teams holding and giving away double-digit leads. I think we saw why they're both at the bottom of the standings- but also saw what kind of depth the league has and the talent on both teams.
It was apparent, at least to me, that Sydney Colson is nothing more than an understudy for this San Antonio squad. She's there to keep the Stars prepared for an undersized, speedy backcourt of dubious shooting ability. She's a bit flashier of a passer than Danielle Robinson, or at least she wants to be, but she doesn't have the vision that she thinks she has. She was a step behind pretty much everyone on the floor. I like her fearlessness, but she has to temper it with the awareness that there are four teammates on the floor and five people who don't want her to have the ball anymore. Haley Peters brought good size off the bench. If I were designing the Stars' offense, I might have tried to get her a few more touches beyond the arc to really stretch the Sun defense (then again, since that's the kind of scheme Curt Miller is in loooooove with, maybe he's prepared for it).
For the first half of the game, I thought Kayla Alexander had donned an invisibility cloak, because there were three or four calls where I thought she was in the wrong and the officials didn't agree. There was an out-of bounds I thought went off her, a foul called on Hamby (I think) that I thought was hers, and two rather rough plays that weren't called fouls. In the second half, some of the whistles started going against her. I like her way of insinuating into space on the boards, and her move across the lane on offense. Class of 2013, so it's her put-up-or-shut-up year, and she's playing like it. Astou Ndour showed some really good flashes of talent, but she looked like she was still trying to get used to her body, like she woke up this morning and discovered that she was six-five and pretty much all arms and legs, knees and elbows. She had a really nice block on one of the Sun guards. I was surprised that she didn't get more run in the second half- she only came in near the end, to make the inbounds more difficult for Connecticut.
I had not seen Jayne Appel-Marinelli in person yet this year, and it was quite startling when I did. She's never been small, and she's never been slender, but I'm actually genuinely worried about her. No one should look that strained, that painfully intent, when shooting free throws. I can't shake the feeling that she's not well in some way, and doesn't want to face it. There were a couple of moments where you could see the flashes of her passing ability, the key to her presence in the Stars lineup. But for the most part, she was immobile, foul-prone when she did move, and unable to finish at the rim. I feel like Dearica Hamby has potential, but her coaches need to figure out her position and what skills of hers to hone. From what I saw today, she'd be better off as a four, but I don't know if she has the size to stand the constant banging. (All the twelve-year-old boys in the audience can stop giggling at their earliest convenience.) Monique Currie played like "y'all forgot about me, huh?", especially in the third quarter when she was getting open looks, or bulling her way through traffic to finish at the rim. Good old Scowl-and-Foul put in an appearance in the fourth quarter, though, after a dicey out-of-bounds call, and a turnover. Don't argue about a blatant reach-in, Monique.
Kayla McBride is a cold-blooded shooter. I'm really not sure what else she brings to the table, though the box score is showing me a nice pile of assists, but I don't remember her passing game. I just remember her taking a step, getting that space, and hitting jumpers. That's a very good thing to be very good at in basketball. Moriah Jefferson has the tools to be a worthy #2 pick, and in the very near future she'll be fantastic. But this is the pros, and this is not UConn, and even a bad W team is better than most college teams, on a relative scale. She's fast, and she has vision and style, but she needs to put a little more oomph on her runs. I think she's used to the amount of energy she needed to expend in college to make her drives, and she's not used to the level of defense she's getting in the WNBA. She had a nice first quarter, but ran out of oomph in the second half.
San Antonio really seems to be preparing for next year with their roadrunner backcourt. I know they can't really cross-market with UT-San Antonio, but it would be so perfect. Meep, meep.
Y'all who have read the GNoD for any length of time know that I give Kelly Faris a hard time. Hype backlash gets to me, and seeing a back-of-the-rotation reserve get treated like an MVP while All-Stars get disrespected irks me. I'm sure she's a perfectly decent human being, this is nothing against who she is. But let me tell you, this was Shut Queenie's Mouth Day at Mohegan Sun, because Kelly Faris had herself a day off the bench. She hit big shots when she was open, she made good defensive plays, and she scrapped for loose balls. She needs to stop committing stupid fouls after turnovers, but if that means she's trying too hard, I'll accept that as an answer. Shekinna Stricklen has a really quick trigger- she got that ball and she was shooting, damn the consequences. Maybe that fits Miller's system, but I'm not impressed.
Chiney Ogwumike is not quite Big Sister, but she was solid down low. She went through a stretch in the third quarter where she was committing all kinds of fouls, which could be a problem. More touches for Chiney, please. Jonquel Jones went to work on the offensive glass, cleaning up on misses. She's got really long arms- you can see her potential but you can also see where she needs to work on her technique. She's raw, but she's good. I don't know how consistent she'll be as a three-point shooter, and this is not a thing I think she should be doing, but it's a thing that Curt Miller thinks everyone should be doing, so it's a thing. This is what happens when your formative basketball experiences come from the New York Liberty: big players go to the basket, you grind through painful defense, and heartbreak is a thing.
So, continuing the trend of Shut Queenie's Mouth at Mohegan Sun today, I'd been talking to the husband about how Alex Bentley had been playing like various temperatures of garbage for much of the season. Apparently someone lit a fire under her, because she decided to do her best Cappie Pondexter impression today. And yes, sometimes that included ignoring open teammates and playing entirely too much one-on-one hero ball with off-balance shots. But they went in. She took off in the first quarter and never looked back. And for all of that, I was still way more impressed with Jasmine Thomas. Thomas very quietly had herself a very nice day. Her drive and dish set up Faris for one of the big threes. She had an utterly monstrous block on Jefferson, plus a slick steal on a different possession. She made the plays that her team needed to maintain control of the game (or at least their footwear- she committed the intentional foul that allowed Alex Bentley to reclaim her left sneaker from under the courtside seats next to the road bench). She's a wildly inconsistent shooter, but the more I see her, the more I like her intangibles.
Kelsey Bone started off reasonably strong, but she got her bell rung twice in rapid succession, and though she came back into the game, I don't think she was 100%. It could be my perception or my expectation that she played outside more after the injury, or she could actually have been taking more shots outside the paint after that. She's got to be more consistent, but we already knew that. There are moments when she looks like the All-Star she was once, the rock down low with the midrange touch that Connecticut traded for. But there are a lot more moments when she looks like the player Bill Laimbeer gave up on in exchange for Tina Charles. Camille Little was quiet- I still like what she brings, but she just couldn't get her shot going. She was active defensively, though. Morgan Tuck got some looks when the defense rotated, but she still needs to do work on her all-around game.
Someone in marketing overheard my, or possibly someone else's, kvetching as to why the only name-and-number shirt available was a truly hideous Tuck shirt with all the wrong fonts and the Sun logo in the wrong shades. Now there's a slightly less hideous Bentley shirt with the wrong fonts.
The crowd really got into it by the end, which is good, because if you can't get into a game where you erase a ten-point lead, what is wrong with you?
Officials didn't make a lot of friends in this one.
Notes are late because of course this was the one time the bus back was full, and also of course the one time that it took three hours down instead of three hours up. GRUMBLE.
Still not sure if Curt Miller is the right coach for this talent. Still not sure whether everyone's on the same page. But San Antonio is definitely way worse.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
July 15th, 2015: San Antonio at New York
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The short-handed San Antonio Stars rallied but never threatened, and the New York Liberty came away with the 84-68 win on Camp Day at the Garden. Essence Carson led New York with 16 points off the bench. Danielle Robinson of San Antonio led all scorers with 18 points.
For high decibels, high pitches, disturbing performances, boogie-oogie-oogieing, the spoils of war, companionable swats on the rear, weak wi-fi game, resting up, and a memetic mutation, join your intrepid and stuck blogger after the jump.
Good morning, for lack of a better salutation! Longtime readers of the GNoD know that your intrepid blogger is not a morning person and does not like children, and thus is most displeased when her team has Camp Day. It's even worse when it's a Western Conference team such as San Antonio, and thus my only chance to see them is to brave the t-shirted hordes.
I am not a fan of pre-pubescent girls doing rhythmic gymnastics to Queen. Somewhere Freddie Mercury is spinning in his grave. Those bodysuits are way too tight. (And congratulations, Forest Hills rhythmic gymnastics, you just managed to make the Beatles creepy. Tweens in skintight bodysuits performing to "Twist and Shout". That song is now TAINTED FOREVER.)
As it turns out, there was no point in coming early, since no one was out by the time we got in. Ink junkie is most displeased.
So I don't have to be annoyed at the kids who were already in the seats where the ink junkies usually hang out, which is good, because they brought a really nice Liberty banner.
Carolyn, aren't you dizzy jumping around in a circle?
At halftime, the Liberty are up 39-30, in a game that started out like a house on fire and got a little more ragged as time went on. Las Danielle lead the way for San Antonio; Adams has 9 and Robinson has 6. Tina Charles has 11 points and four boards for the Liberty.
Crowd arrived late, but it filled up nicely. The kids behind us and around us have a good sense of how to behave at a basketball game. I like that.
Our first group of halftime entertainment was a step group that did not prepare for the big stage. Our second group is a dance team that looks to be early to mid-twenties. Talented and far less creepy. Also, I think one of the dudes might have been one of the dudes for St. John's, which is awesome.
What is that on Danielle Robinson's head, and are we sure it's not from another planet?
Note to MSG: the wi-fi is not robust enough to deal with a sellout crowd.
That game ended up being more competitive than I would have liked- in the end, we ground San Antonio down with depth and exposed their lack of auxiliary firepower. The Stars bore down well on defense, and dear Lord Danielle Robinson is good. But down a quarter of their roster, there was only so much that they could do.
Kalana Greene came in in the first half for defense, and actually got the second-half start over Sydney Colson. She's not going to be an offensive option, and she didn't do much to make herself one, but she stuck close on defense and stayed active. Samantha Logic found herself at the off-guard for a couple of stretches, playing alongside Colson. She lit the tree for the Stars with an and-1 late in the second half. Kayla Alexander impressed me, slithering into small spaces to get to the basket or at least get to the line. Danielle Adams looks like she's put on weight, and I think it's affected her mobility a little bit. We only saw her try the flop once- she didn't seem to be moving into poition to take them as willingly as usual. Not sure if that's a day-game thing or an injury thing or if she's changing in style or what. She wasn't getting much of anything to fall, whether it was jumpers from the outside or shots in the lane. She did do a nice job of drawing contact, though.
Sydney Colson's kinda quick. She caused chaos defensively. Danielle Robinson is even quicker. She's so fast, and so good. She had all kinds of offense working today, whether it was the jumper, the fast break, or the cut to the basket. She's so fun to watch. Why are we not hearing about her more? Seriously, WNBA, get on this. Jayne Appel facilitated the Stars' offense, which would have been nice if she were a point guard, but is somewhat less effective when three of the nine active players on the roster are primarily point guards and thus need someone to give the ball to. She got grabby and frustrated near the end of the game. The rims were unkind to Sophia Young-Malcolm in the first half, which I am totally okay with (no, I don't like her; I have a thing against people who believe my family doesn't deserve equal protection under the law). She got better looks in the second half, and she also got to the line more. She didn't seem to like some of the more physical play that went on down low. Dearica Hamby shows a lot of potential- she didn't necessarily look good, per se, but she looked like a player who needs to have the raw edges filed off her, to have her shot more refined, to become more familiar with the physical nature of the WNBA, before she fully comes into her own.
San Antonio seemed to focus more on defense than offense, which makes sense given that two primary pieces of their offense were missing and two others were off their game. Danielle Robinson may be awesome, but she can't do it alone.
Avery Warley-Talbert, still rocking the red hair, came in at the very end of the game and demonstrated both why we keep her (boxing out hard on the glass) and why we don't play her (hands of stone). Candice Wiggins saw extended run in the fourth quarter and, dare I say, put the game on Ice with a three-pointer. *sunglasses pull* yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Brittany Boyd seems to have gotten over that nightmarish game from the free throw line, at least AT the free throw line. She was shaky today elsewhere, with some bad passes and throwing up shots that looked designed to draw fouls instead of iron. We need her energy, and we need her to stay energetic, but she has to be careful with that as well. Sugar Rodgers turned up the offense in the fourth quarter, right when we needed a spark. Kiah Stokes looked aggressive and ready for action on both ends of the floor. She ran one particularly nice fast break in the second half that got the crowd going. Essence Carson did not take her removal from the starting lineup lying down. She had the outside shot going (though she still has that issue with getting it behind the line) and was strong overall.
I like what Epiphanny Prince brings to this team. She's a perimeter threat, but she also brings penetration and passing to the table. She's not so hot on defense, but we brought her in for offense, so I'm okay with that for now. She also seems to discourage Tina Charles from that pernicious habit she has of jacking long perimeter jumpers. Tina did work down low today, and watching her do work down low is a thing of beauty. She's lithe and quick in the paint. It looks like her element. I feel like I'm harping, but really, she looked good in the post and bad from deep outside. During the game, I kept thinking Tanisha Wright is where offense goes to die, but the box score says she had four assists, so she must have done well in finding open players, but it seemed like everything slowed down much more with her in the game instead of Boyd or Sugar. Swin Cash rebounded well, but that was about it. Carolyn Swords was tough down low, getting just enough on her shots to get them down and boxing out with thast big body of hers.
I love the flexibility this team has- we have players whose skill sets overlap enough that we have options, but who all bring different things to the table that suit different situations.
I also love when Tina is happy and contentedly bopping along to the dance music during a timeout.
If you throw a thunderstick at me, it's mine and I'm keeping it. Spoils of war, brat.
Some questionable calls, as per usual, but none of them were earth-shattering or game-changing.
I'm glad the kids got a treat; I'm glad we got a win. I'm even happier that the usual suspects got a good long rest before facing down Connecticut tomorrow.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
June 5th, 2014: San Antonio at New York
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A big second-half run broke open a close game at Madison Square Garden, and the San Antonio Stars beat the New York Liberty, 87-75. Sophia Young-Malcolm led five Stars in double figures with 18 points. Tina Charles led New York with 11 points.
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Hey, gang! We're coming to you in stereophonic sound from the World's Most Famous Arena, where it's the annual New York Liberty Alumnae Reunion as New York hosts the Stars of San Antonio.
Vickie Johnson has gone retro with the haircut- pure '97-'98. From the way she was affecting Becky Hammon's shots in practice, she might still have enough left in the tank as a midseason defensive specialist if anyone needs one.
Each game's roster card has a quote from a Liberty player on what it means to stand for Liberty, and tonight's was adroitly chosen from DeLisha Milton-Jones: "I stand for Liberty. It embodies what every human being should stand for. There is no room for injustice or inequality." (SOPHIA. Yes, I'm still salty. I take it really badly when people open their mouths to say that my family doesn't deserve equal protection under the law, but that's an entire rant for another time and place.)
There is someone over in the next section wearing a #15 Oklahoma State jersey. I don't know if it was Toni Young's or just a replica, but either way, I salute your loyalty, 'Poke!
The few Stars (almost typed Silver Stars there) who were out when I came in were exquisitely courteous. Shenise Johnson has nice handwriting.
Interesting anthem. Not sure how else to describe it. Stirring, but odd.
At halftime, San Antonio is up one, in a game that's been full of risky passes and made shots. This would not turn out to remain the case.
Heather Butler is ridiculously tiny. If she's really 5-5, I'm Sue Bird. She looks more than an inch shorter than Hammon. Physically, she reminds me of a Helen Darling Mini-Me. Kayla Alexander slid into position for rebounds and set a couple of decent picks, but looked awkward on offense. Shameka Christon came out in the fourth quarter like gangbusters- she still isn't the player she was in New York, and probably will never be back to being considered Baby Swoopes, but her jumper is a thing of beauty and she crashed the boards well. Shenise Johnson didn't play a lot and seemed to be doing more to facilitate the offense than engage with the offense, which surprised me a little. Danielle Adams showed off her long-range shot and her acting abilities, though her ponderous spin move could have used a little more work. That woman takes up a lot of space, sets some vicious screens, and really needs a more comfortable pair of shorts. Jia Perkins was automatic on offense, whether it was the short jumper, the long jumper or work under the basket. She's clever and she's quick and she seems to be consistently undervalued. Ah, well. She can commiserate with VJ on that one.
In today's Statement of The Blazingly Obvious, Danielle Robinson is really fast. Early in the game, it was working against her, as her momentum carried her out of defensive plays (I'm sure Jayne [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD4GrTnyDMQ&feature=channel]understands[/url] that feeling). As the Liberty tired, her speed became more of an advantage for San Antonio, allowing her to fire up breaks. To my intense displeasure, Sophia Young-Malcolm had an excellent game, especially in the first quarter. She had the outside jumper working and positioned well on the glass, even if she didn't pull down a lot of boards. Becky Hammon was very quiet, but I think that might have been partially defensive attention and partially not needing her to have a big offensive game. Jayne Appel didn't look for her shot, but set solid screens to free players up, and made Tina Charles's life unpleasant on the block. Kayla McBride started the game very strong, hitting the big shots like she thought she was Becky Hammon or something (that three at the shot clock buzzer felt like a dagger, have I mentioned how much I dislike Notre Dame?) and flying into the lane.
San Antonio was relentless and pesky. They capitalized on mistakes, though they made a few of their own as well. Their passing was daring, but fairly sharp. This is what happens when your lead guard wants to pass the ball, New York.
Avery Warley-Talbert (still getting used to that hyphen bit) showed toughness on the inside, but needs to go up stronger to the hole and hold on to the ball better. Shanece McKinney hit a couple of shots, but looked like she was having more trouble settling into the lineup than Avery did. Avery was also called upon to absorb fouls from Danielle Adams, for what that's worth. I still don't understand Bill's obsession with Sugar Rodgers, though she did hav ea couple of nice defensive deflections. But she has a tendency to make as many dumb mistakes as she forces. DeLisha Milton-Jones was quiet, except on the bench, where she had at least one animated conversation with the assistants. I get the feeling her patience is running out with her team's tendency to run around like a flock of headless chickens when the momentum slips even a little bit away from them. Chucky Jeffery was unremarkable. Toni Young made an immediate impact when she hit her first shot, and seemed more comfortable on the floor than she's been in a while. Alex Montgomery brought the hard defense and a fair amount of offense. I love when she's hitting those threes.
Anna Cruz, please stop handing the ball to the Stars. I like her hustle, but her judgment needed a lot of work. Tina Charles started well, but never really seemed to get going in the second half, and was never comfortable in the flow of play. Cappie Pondexter forced bad, stupid shots, which is what she usually does when the game's close and she thinks it's her job to take over no matter the situation. I still question the hell out of her judgment. Essence Carson looked a little better on offense, though not so strong on defense, and then there was the pass she threw to Katie Smith. The astute reader may note that Katie Smith is no longer an active player. Plenette Pierson did a lot of hard work down low, but with little reward.
We don't have reserves. That's not to say we don't have bench players, but once the wad is shot, it's shot. And once we've delivered our haymaker, we don't seem to know what to do when the opponent gets off the mat and punches back. And once that happens, everything comes unraveled. It usually starts with Cappie taking a bad shot, but everything comes apart after that. It's like we've never worked together before. I don't know what gives, but it needs to stop.
Officiating was unremarkable, which was a bit of a relief.
I really don't want to blindly blame Cappie, because it's not her fault Essence passed the ball to Katie and Anna kept giving it to Jia Perkins. But if we're all on the failboat together, Cappie's at the wheel. It feels like something has to give, and has to give soon, and I don't know whether it's Cappie, or Tina, or Bill.